This invention relates to a method of making refrigerating equipment, such as refrigerating and refrigerated showcase and store fixtures, and to equipment constructed by the method. The invention relates more particularly to such a method using plastic foam formed in situ, and to such equipment manufactured by the method.
Refrigerating and refrigerated showcases have different dimensions of depth, height and width. Their walls, partitions and/or panels are often thermally insulated by a plastic foam formed in situ. This insulating foam is usually formed in a mold so that the initial shape of the walls is maintained during the fabrication. Known fabrication techniques for refrigerated and refrigerating equipment frequently employ mass production of certain models and types so as to reduce the number of molds and tools necessary for the production and to increase their productivity. Notably, the units within the same model or type also have the same depth. In practice, in known processes, these units include a lower portion which is made up of a front wall, a bottom and a portion of a rear wall, all assembled in a single unit and insulated by a plastic foam formed in situ and possibly also include an upper portion which defines a ceiling and the remaining fraction of the rear wall and which consists principally of two assembled panels. The edge of one panel and the lateral face of the other panel has a deep groove for holding the ceiling assembly joints. The number of models and types of units which are made in this way is often too limited to satisfy requirements of a large number of locations where the dimensions of the equipment best adapted for their purpose and/or space considerations are very varied.